Work-holding mechanism for metal-working machines.



, P. 0. PARWELL. i WORK HOLDING MEGHANISM FOB METAL WORKING MACHINES. l

' APPLIOATION. FILED JULY 19, 1.909.

Patented July 26, 1910. v

FAY O. FARWELL, OF DUBU'QUE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF rIO THE ADAMS COM- PANY, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

WORK-HOLDING MECHANISM FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

`Original application led December 9, 1908, Seral`No.

Patented July 26, 1910.

466,716. Divided and this application filed July 19,

1909. Senal No. 508,361.

To all whom it may concerns Be it known that I, FAY O. F ARWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Du-l buque, county of Dubuque, and State ofV Iowa, `have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Work-IIolding Mechanism for Metal-VOrking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and useA the same.

This invention relates to work holding `mechanism for metal working machines, such as milling machines, shapers, and planers. Said `mechanism was devised kprimarily for use in a milling machine of the type described in my application, Serial No. 466,716, filed vDecember 9, 1908, of which this application is a division, but the novel features of the construction are capable of wide application and may be used in any Ymachine where a work holder is to be clamped upon a bed, table, or similar support.

The primary object of this invent-ion is to -provide a clamping device which can be operated `from the Vunder portion of the bed ortable and is'arranged ina convenient and compact manner so as to beout of the way of the workman when the machine is in operation, the clamping action on the work holder and the release of the latter be ing effected vwith great readiness and rapidity by means such as an operating lever'that can Ibe swung under the table or bed when `not in use.

The invention also aims to provide an improved connection between the operating lever and the clamping mechanism by which the former may be operated in a small space, but to such an extent as to cause the requisite clamping action on the work holder, this .connection being of such a natu-rethat the lever is `readily detachable and :that the vother members of the mechanism lImay `be easily dismounted when desired.

It is also an object of the invention -to provide a work holding table with two or Vmore,.clainpingdevices, the operating levers `of which are .moved oppositely, so that fthe levers may extend towardand parallel with each other beneath the table for convenient and 10a.

access by the operator, as will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is `a perspective view of a work .holding mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 is a front elevation lof the work supporting table showing one of the work holders clamped thereon. Figs. 3 and l vare-detail views of the clamping mechanism, and Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing work holders of diEerent types adapted for `use with the improved mech anism.

In the drawing, the clamping mechanism is illustrated as used in connection with the sliding table 7 of a milling machine, which table can be adjusted horizontally by means of lever mechanism 8, but it will be understood from what has been said above that the invention is not limited to use in a `milling machine. The table 7 has clamped to the Vtop thereof, at its intermediate portion, fixed locking strips or blocks 9 and 10 which extend transversely of the table and are provided at their sides with undercut edges 92L Near the ends of the table are located movable clamping strips or blocks 11, 12, which are also provicleclwvith undercut edges 11a, `12a located opposite the Vundercut edges 9a and 10a, respectively. In the embodiment shown, a work holder may be clamped on the table either between the fixed `strip 9 and the movable strip 11, or between the fixed strip 10 and the `movable strip 12, such clamping being effected by vertical movement of the strip 11 or 12 as the case may be.

In Fig. 2, I have shown a work holder -13 clamped .on the table between the fixed strip 9 and the movable strip 11, and as the operation of the two clamping devices shown, is

substantially the same, it will suiiice to describe only one of them in detail. The work holder 13, which is shown in detail in Fig. 5, has a square base 14, the edges of which project laterally and are beveled .to fit in either one of the ways formed between the overhanging or undercut edges of the clamping blocks and extending transversely of the table. `Said work Vholder may be placed in either slide-way and faced in any of four directions, and when it is iplaced, for example, in the position shownin Fig. 2, it

can be tightly clamped in position on the table by operating a lever 15 which pulls the movable clamping strip or block 11 in downward direction so that the work holder is firmly clamped and wedged in the slideway. The downward movement of the block or strip 11 by means of the lever 15 in order to clamp the work holder is effected by the following mechanism: Screwed into the `strip 11 ata point adjacent its overhanging undercut edge is a bolt 1G which extends down through the table and through a boss or sleeve 17 cast integral with the table at the under portion of the latter. Said boss or sleeve forms a bearing of some length for the bolt 16 and its lower end serves as a seat for a nut 18 that is threaded on the lower end of the bolt and is manipulated by means of the lever 15. By rotating the nut by means of said lever the bolt 16 may be moved downward Without rotating, thereby forcing downward the clamping block 11 on the work holder, the boss or sleeve 17 forming an abutment against which the nut 18 bears during its rotation.

The nut 18 is preferably of cylindrical form, as shown in Fig. 3, and` provided at its lower part with a retaining flange 18a, there being a lug 18b formed exteriorly on the side wall of the nut immediately above said flange. The end of the lever 15 which engages said nut is in the form of a socket 15X adapted to fit over the upper cylindrical portion of the nut and to be supported on the flange 18a of the latter; and said socket is provided at its interior with a circumferential series of notches 15y adapted to be engaged by the lug 18b when the nut is to be screwed on the bolt in either direction.`

In assembling the parts, the socket 15x of the lever is placed over the upper portion of the nut, after which the nut is screwed on the lower portion of the bolt 16, and when this is effected, the lever 15 will be effectively supported by the flange 18L of the nut. The lever is thereby maintained in such a position as to be rapidly grasped and operated, the lug of the nut being engaged in one of the notches of the lever socket. Different notches may be engaged with said lug in order to alford an oscillating movement of the lever within a limited space, by reason of the fact that the lever may be raised with respect to the nut in such a manner that the lug 18b will be disengaged, whereupon the lever may be shifted without operatin the nut, as will be readily understood. hus the lever may be placed in a predetermined position with respect to the table (such as one in which said lever extends longitudinally beneath the latter) regardless of the angular position of the nut on its bolt.

The clamping mechanism which is shown at the right of the table in Fig. 2 is substantially the same as that justdescribed, with the exception that the bolt and nut have a left' hand thread instead of a right hand thread, so that when the levers are forced into clamping position they will be located in parallelism beneath the table, as shown in Fig. 2, in order that either one of the levers may be conveniently grasped. The lever used to operate the clamping block 12 is denoted by reference character 19 and it is provided near the socket end thereof with a ben d 2O in order that the handle portion of the lever may extend beneath and parallel to the lever 15, as above indicated.

The work holder 13 illustrated in Fig. 5 is not only provided with a base 14, by which it may be clamped on the table, but it is also provided at one end with a second square base 14a, so that the work holder may be stood on end, if such is desired and clamped in this position. Said work holder is inthe form of a vise, the movable aw of which is operated by a hand crank 21. The work holder shown in Fig. 6 is a species of chuck, and said chuck is provided with beveled clamping bases 22, 23 extending parallel and at right angles respectively to the axis of the chuck. By means of these bases the chuck may be clamped on the table with its axis arranged either horizontally or vertically, as called for by the nature and character of the work.

After the work holder is slid into one of the slide-ways, the movable clamping blocl or strip being raised to a slight extent, the work holder is firmly clamped in position by forcing the clamping block in downward direction through the bolt and lever connection described, the overhanging edge of the clamping block being pressed against the base of the work holder with a considerable amount of friction, whereby the work holder is tight-ly locked in position. The release of the work holder may be effected by a relatively slight movement of the operating lever, which movement releases the clamping block and permits the work holder to be moved to another position in the slideway or taken off of the table. The clamping of the work holder in the desired position and the release of the same may therefore be effected with great quickness and an undercut edge to overhang the work holder, said strips forming in conjunction a straifrht guide into which the work holder may Jbe introduced at one end, and means for raising and lowering the movable clamping strip.

2. The combination of a work supporting table, a straight vertically movable clamping strip on said table having an undercut edge to overhang the work holder, a lixed clamping strip on the table parallel to said movable strip and coacting therewith, said strips forming in conjunction a straight guide open at both ends, and means for raising and lowering the movable clamping strip.

3. The combination of a work supporting table, a vertically movable transverse clamping strip or block on said table and having an under-cut edge to overhang the work holder, a fixed clamping strip on the table parallel to said irst named strip and also having an under-cut edge to overhang' the work holder7 said strips forming in conjunction a straight guide into which the work holder may be introduced at either end, and means for raising and lowering the movable clamping stri 3.

4.1 The combination with a work-holding table, of a work-clamping device having an operating bolt extending downward through the table, a nut threaded on said bolt beneath the table and having a laterally extending flange, and a lever for operating the nut, embracing the latter and supported on the flange thereof.

5. The combination with a work-holding table, of a work-clamping device having an operating bolt extending downward through the table, a nut threaded on said bolt beneath the table and having a lateral flange and a lug above said liange, and an operating lever provided with a socket loosely embracing said nut and supported on said flange, said socket having a plurality of notches adapted to engage said lug, and the lever being freely movable with respect to the latter, whereby said lever may be placed in a predetermined position with respect to the table regardless of the angular position of the nut on its bolt.

6. In clamping mechanism such as described, the combination of a work supporting table, clamping devices located side by side on said table and each embodying a bolt extending downward through the table, a nut on the lower end of each bolt, and operating levers for said nuts movable horizontally beneath the table, one above the other, the levers being moved toward each other to effect the tightening of the nuts, whereby they will lie in close proximity to each other when said nuts are tightened.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FAY O. FARWELL.

Witnesses:

HERBERT ADAMS, GLENN MUFELY. 

